Forever Is Too Short
by Completely Original Pen Name
Summary: Brian is old. Stewie is a naively convinced that Brian will be around forever. Nobody had the heart to tell him the truth until it was too late.


Nothing lasts forever. It's a fact of life; just as the universe is infinite, everything comes to an end eventually.

Stewie Griffin had witnessed enough ends by the time he reached the age of seven. From diapers, to certain toys, to his parents' marriage, Stewie should have known by now that everything comes to an end. In a way, he did.

As Stewie got older, his best friend did, too. By the time Stewie started kindergarten, Brian was the ripe old age of fourteen. This was obviously very old for a dog.

He had quit all dangerous vices years ago in an attempt to lengthen his lifespan, but it was obvious that Brian wasn't what he used to be. His muzzle had turned grey, a few bald patches patterned his body, and his muscles were slowly but surely becoming weaker with each passing day.

Brian tried to hide the pain he was in; Lois asked him several times throughout his last year of life if he wanted to be put down. Brian would have the same reaction every time: a smile and tail wag, accompanied by a refusal of Lois' offer. Brian wasn't at all afraid of death. He had faced it many times before.

What Brian was afraid of was losing Stewie. Brian hadn't realized how much he took Stewie for granted. He had watched Stewie grow up ever since the day Lois and Peter brought him home from the hospital. He could remember Stewie's first steps, and the first time he talked and everyone else understood. It brought a smile to Brian's face when he thought of Stewie muttering "Bitch", and Lois immediately gasping in shock, torn between praising his first word and punishing him for swearing. Brian remembered the first time Lois let Stewie pick out his own clothes, shortly after he turned two, and long after his "evil" phase was done. Stewie had come home, smiling the way only a child could, and had wasted no time in modeling his brand new purple skirt for Brian. Lois had told Brian earlier that she couldn't bear to say no to him.

Brian took the responsibility of explaining to a three-year-old Stewie that Lois and Peter were getting a divorce. Stewie understood completely, and he wasn't the least bit surprised. That was the same year that Meg announced that she was separating herself from the rest of her family with the help of a restraining order and a one-way plane ticket to England. Brian had helped Lois explain this to Stewie as well.

From that point on, Brian was Stewie's father figure. He protected Stewie at night, comforted him when the neighbor kids mocked him, and answered any questions Stewie had about life.

On Stewie's first day of kindergarten, the young boy had insisted on wearing a red plaid skirt paired with a black T-shirt. It was Brian who convinced Lois to let him. Stewie came home that day, all smiles. "They think I'm pretty!" He announced with excitement. Stewie proceeded to show Brian a beautiful finger painting depicting the two of them holding hands, Stewie in his plaid skirt. The words "FRIENDS FOREVER" were written across the top.

Brian had teared up at the sight of it. He didn't have the heart to explain to Stewie that "forever" was quickly coming to a close.

It was not even a year later that Stewie learned this lesson the hard way. He woke up and immediately had a feeling deep in the pit of his stomach that something was wrong. Stewie got out of bed, clutching Rupert to his chest, and went over to the dog bed where Brian always slept. Brian had the appearance of being deep in sleep, but Stewie knew something was amiss with his best friend.

"Brian? I'm awake..." Stewie said, his voice choking up. Tears came to his eyes when Brian didn't perk up. Stewie reached out and gently shook Brian. His lack of response caused more tears. Stewie knew that Brian had died peacefully in his sleep.

Both Peter and Chris came back to their old home to help pay their respects to Brian, along with several neighbors and family friends. As with most family pets, Brian was buried in the backyard. Stewie watched silently and emotionlessly as his best friend was laid in the ground and covered with dirt. He wanted to object when Lois insisted on saying a prayer, as Brian didn't believe in God, but no words could come out of his mouth.

An engraved stone was placed where Brian was buried, reading:

**_Brian Griffin  
Friend, Pet, Family_**

Stewie didn't shed a single tear the whole time. Part of him was convinced that this wasn't permanent, that Brian would be in his dog bed the next morning. But Stewie knew better.

Later that night, Stewie snuck out of bed, holding the painting he had done the first day of kindergarten. He went outside and sat next to Brian's grave. Tears spilled down his cheeks as he hugged the picture tightly. It wrinkled and ripped from Stewie's tight hold. When he couldn't breathe anymore, Stewie forced himself to calm down. He looked at the painting, now ruined by holes and rips. The word "FOREVER" had been smudged by one of Stewie's tears.

As Stewie stared at the painting, he realized that he would have Brian forever. If not in a physical form, in the form of memories. All of the most important moments of his young life so far had involved Brian. Nothing, not even death, could ruin that.

As Stewie got older, his memories of Brian slowly started to fade. Eventually a day came that Stewie forgot to think about Brian. This led to a week, which led to a month, which lead to a year. The memories of Brian faded more and more with each passing day. The stone in the backyard was eventually weathered down so that only bits of letters were visible, but they simply looked like random marks.

It wasn't until decades later, when Stewie was cleaning out his recently deceased mother's home, that he remembered his old best friend. In the attic, he found an old framed photograph. In it was a young boy that he instantly recognized as himself and a dog. Stewie slowly remembered who the dog was: his old best friend, Brian. A small smile came to Stewie's face as all the old memories came rushing back.

One of the memories was the painful realization that forever wasn't always so. As Stewie stared at the picture, he thought that maybe "forever" could still go on for just a little bit longer.


End file.
